


What You Need

by afteriwake



Series: A Thousand Suns [22]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 10:51:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once he saw her suffering, he did what any good big brother would do and tried to fix things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What You Need

**Author's Note:**

> Since “Last Moment” had set up that Tatsuki knew to look for someone specific in Soul Society, I wanted to show her arriving. I also wanted to show just what a toll both Hitsugaya and Tatsuki’s death had put on Karin, along with the (unwritten, so far) part she played in the fight with Ginjou. When I get to it, you'll see she played a big part in his defeat. Set three days after "Last Moment."

“Ichi-nii, Karin’s not eating.”

Ichigo turned to look at his other sister, who was standing next to Hanatarou. Almost ever since they were introduced they spent all their time together. Whether there were any more than friendly feelings involved or not he didn’t know, but he hoped not. “How long has this been going on?”

“I think since Tatsuki-san died. She wasn’t eating much before that, but now she just makes it look like she’s eating. There was a bag in the trash that had last night’s dinner in it.”

Ichigo thought for a moment. She hadn’t eaten in three days, then. “Where is she?”

“Not in her room,” Hanatarou said. “Yuzu-chan had asked me to check on her, but she’s not there. She might be out hunting Hollows.”

“I’ll go look for her,” Ichigo said with a nod. He looked at Hisagi, who he had been talking to. “Let anyone else out tonight know they need to find Karin. If she hasn’t eaten in three days she’s not up for hunting.”

“I will,” he said with a nod.

He found Kon and put the mod soul in his body, then jumped out his window. He had a few ideas of where to check first, starting with where Tatsuki was buried. She wasn’t there, so he checked her school, her friends, and even Ishida and Orihime’s place. Ishida suggested he look at the warehouse where the fight with Ginjou had been, and when she got there he saw her huddled in a corner, not in shinigami robes but in normal clothes. It was not far from where Hitsugaya had been murdered. “Hey,” he said quietly.

She didn’t respond, and he could see just from looking at her that she hadn’t been sleeping, either, if the bags under her eyes were any indication. She was a wreck, and he was kicking himself for not noticing sooner. He knelt down next to her, and when she didn’t acknowledge his presence he shifted so he was sitting. “I wish I was dead,” she said hoarsely after a moment.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because if I was in Soul Society I wouldn’t have to be here,” she said, moving an arm from around her knees to draw a figure in the dirt. “And Tatsuki would be there, and maybe Mom. It would be nicer.”

“Has Urahara let you go there yet?” he asked.

“No,”” she replied. “I was supposed to go and then all this crap happened and I haven’t gone.”

He was quiet for a moment. “Rangiku-san said there are some things for you there. Of Toshiro’s. She said he would have wanted you to have them.”

She lifted her head up. “Where?”

“In Rangiku-san’s quarters. Hinamori-san hadn’t been able to bring them with her. We could go get her and get them, maybe.”

“Could we?” she asked, looking hopeful.

“Yeah, we can try,” he said with a nod, getting up. He offered her his hand and pulled her up. Getting a good look at her, he knew this had been going on probably since Toshiro died, this hurting. He had seen her eating less but now it really showed. He made a mental note to make sure he took better care of his sister.

They got Matsumoto and went to Urahara Shoten quickly, and without much discussion Urahara opened up the gateway to Soul Society. The three of them landed just outside the first district and made their way to Jidanbou’s gate. He was busy talking to a young woman, and when Karin realized who it was a bright smile lit up her face. “Tatsuki!”

Tatsuki turned and looked at Karin for a moment before enveloping her in a tight hug. “You look horrible,” she said quietly when she pulled away. Then she went over to Ichigo and hit him in the back of the head. “You should be taking better care of your sister!”

“She was hiding it!” he said defensively, rubbing the back of his head. “Good to know you got here okay.”

“Just arrived this morning,” Jidanbou said. 

“It’s a miracle I landed in the second district.” She smiled at the giant man. “He was just about to send a message to you guys.”

“She’ll to be staying with friends of mine near my gate until we can find Shiba-san,” Jidanbou said. “She moved her house again, and I have not had time to search for it.”

“Rukia was afraid of that,” Ichigo said with a slight grin.

“Ichigo, I was wondering…do you know if I could become a shinigami, like you and Karin-chan?”

“She was hungry when she got here, and was showing me some of her karate moves,” Jidanbou said. “She’s a little old, but she could go into the Academy if Captain Commander gives the okay.”

“I could ask, if I get to see him while I’m here,” he said slowly. “I was here to help Karin, though.”

“Once I let you into my quarters I can go ask,” Matsumoto said. “The perk of being a captain is I get more of a chance to talk to him.”

“Congratulations on your promotion,” Jidanbou said. “I am sorry it had to come in such a bad way.”

“I am too,” Matsumoto said with a sad smile. “Well, Tatsuki-chan. Want to come with us? Captain Commander might be more inclined to say yes if he talks to you after I ask.”

“Sure,” Tatsuki said with a nod. Then she paused. “You don’t think Renji will be upset, do you?”

Matsumoto chuckled. “He told me two days ago he hoped you had arrived hungry so that perhaps he could have you in his division. It would mean being closer to you than if you lived out in the Rukongai.”

“Oh, good,” she said with a sigh of relief. “So, what are you two going to do?” she asked, turning to Ichigo and Karin.

“Collect some of Toshiro’s things that Rangiku-san thought Karin might want,” Ichigo said.

“Ah,” Tatsuki said with a nod. “That’s good. I think he cared about you a lot,” she added to Karin.

“I guess,” she replied with a shrug.

“Why don’t we go get those things now?” Matsumoto suggested. “I’ll take charge of Arisawa-san now, Jidanbou.”

“That works for me,” he replied, opening the gate. They began to walk, and they chatted. Tatsuki had questions about her funeral and how everyone was coping, and she stayed close to Karin as they walked, keeping an arm slung around her shoulders for a good portion of the time. Ichigo noticed that for the first time in a long time Karin had a smile on her face, albeit a small one. He relaxed more, knowing this visit was probably exactly what she needed.

“I need to meet with my division for a moment,” Matsumoto said once they got to her quarters. “I did not just come here to let you in; I got word of problems with another division and I need to have a talk with them. As soon as I am done I will come get you, Arisawa-san.”

“All right,” Tatsuki said with a grin. Matsumoto left them, and she turned to Karin, who was looking at the small chest Matsumoto had led her to. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she said with a nod, her hand hovering above the chest. She hesitated, then undid the latch and opened it. There was a turquoise scarf on top of a pile of papers, and a small jewelry box. “This must be the gift his Granny gave him,” she replied, picking it up and opening it.

“Yeah?” Ichigo said, looking at it. There was a ring in it, a simple silver band with a dragon carved intricately on it. It was definitely a man’s ring, and looked as though it would have been too big for him. “Definitely Toshiro.”

“Maybe,” Karin said. “I don’t think he was really into jewelry. But it is beautiful.” She closed the small box and set it aside, then picked up the scarf. “He wore this the first time he came through. I remember telling him he looked stupid in it, when I was angry with him,” she said with a sad smile. “I didn’t mean it, not really, so I’m glad he kept it.”

“I wonder what’s on the papers,” Tatsuki replied.

“Bet you it’s boring stuff,” Ichigo said as Karin picked up the first sheet and looked it over. “Well?”

“It’s poetry,” she replied. “And it’s really not that bad.” She picked up another sheet and handed it to Tatsuki. “It’s all…romantic poetry.”

Tatsuki read it over, a smile forming on her face. “Oh, he had talent. This is really good.”

“Is it?” Ichigo asked, picking up another sheet. He skimmed over it, nodding slowly. “Huh. It’s almost like reading one of Shakespeare’s sonnets.”

“Hey, Karin?” Tatsuki said slowly, picking up another one. “I think these are about you.”

“I think so too,” she said quietly as she read another one. “I never knew…I mean, I’d kind of hoped but it’s…” A tear slipped down her cheek and she set her paper down. Ichigo waited for more tears to fall, for the need to comfort her to become apparent, but she shut her eyes and took a steadying breath, and then opened them again and looked fine. “I can’t take these back to the living world, can I? I mean, they’re made of spirit particles. It’s not like taking stuff from our world here, right?”

“I don’t know,” he said, looking at them. “If you put on the scarf now you might still have it on when you transform. Same with the ring, I think.” He thought for a moment. “We can see if Rangiku-san has a chain you can put it on, since I think it’s too big for you.”

“Okay,” she said, setting down her poem and tying the scarf around her neck. “How does it look?”

“It looks good,” Tatsuki said with a nod.

“You know, we can figure out some way to get these poems collected for you,” Ichigo said. “Urahara might have an idea. We can ask when we go back.”

“Okay,” she said, a smile on her face. It seemed as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she appeared more at peace.

There was a knock and Matsumoto came in. “That is a very nice scarf,” she said with a smile. “I think it looks better on you than it did on him.”

Karin laughed softly. “Thank you.”

“I see Hinamori gave you the poetry,” she said. “I know he’s been writing it for a long time. Is it any good?”

“You’ve never read it?” Ichigo asked as Karin handed her a sheet.

“Oh, no,” she said, taking it. “I knew he wrote it when he had a chance but he was very secretive about it.” She read through it and smiled. “It is _very_ good. He was very much an old soul in a young body.” She lifted up the paper. “You should be able to take these with you.”

“Really?” Karin asked.

“We use two different types of paper here. Some is only good here in Soul Society, but Urahara-san had developed a paper that will withstand going to the living world. They’re normally used for messages, and were used more often before we had the communicator system in place.” She went to the box and flipped through them. “Most of these were written on that type of paper. I can have the rest transferred over.”

“Thank you,” she replied, taking the sheet back from Matsumoto and hugging it to her chest.

“Do you mind if I keep the originals?” she asked Karin.

“No, not at all,” she said.

“I had a friend die who left me nothing, and I want some remembrance of my Captain, even if it was not directed at me,” she said softly. “So thank you.” Then she turned to Tatsuki. “I had sent word to the First Division when I got to my office, and got a quick reply. It seems Captain Commander already knew about you. Abarai-san’s doing, no doubt. He would like to meet you and formally accept you into the Academy.”

“Really?” Tatsuki said, a smile on her face. “Oh, good. Renji has one less thing to worry about.”

“We’ll head back to the Rukongai, try and get a chain for the ring,” Ichigo said.

“I have a chain,” Matsumoto replied, going to a small chest on the table. “It was a gift from Hisagi-san for my birthday last year. I do not think he will mind if I give it away…I’m keeping the book he gave me, at any rate.” She opened the chest and pulled out a fine silver chain, then went back and handed it to Karin. Karin slipped the ring on the chain, then put it around her neck. It was short, and the ring settled nicely on her chest. “Perfect.”

“Then we’ll head back to the living world now, leave you guys to the official duties,” Ichigo said as Karin began sorting through the poems.

“There are drawings on some of these,” she said suddenly. “Look.” She held up a paper that had a picture of Matsumoto sitting by the window. “And this poem isn’t about me.”

Matsumoto took it, and read the poem. Her eyes glistened, and she smiled. “May I have this one?”

“Of course,” Karin said, handing her more paper. “This one is about Lieutenant Hinamori, and this one is a picture of his Granny. I think they should have them.”

“I can leave them in Hinamori-san’s quarters,” Matsumoto said. “They are not on paper that would survive in the living world.” Then she took her picture and sat it by the chest of jewelry where she’d gotten the necklace before turning to Tatsuki. “We need to hurry. Captain Commander is expecting us.”

“Okay. Bye, guys!” Tatsuki said, giving Karin a hug and then giving Ichigo a hug. “Tell Renji what happened, okay?”

“We will,” Ichigo said. “Good luck!”

“Thanks!” Tatsuki said with a last wave as she and Matsumoto left the room.

Ichigo turned to Karin. “Feel better now?”

“Yeah,” she said, clutching the poetry and pictures she was going to take with her to her chest. “Thanks, Ichi-nii.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close, glad he could do something to help his little sister out after all.


End file.
